bukhtr1 --
While your question was not directed specifically to me, I wanted to chime in, as a person who owns a company that builds aftermarket/replacement carbon-fiber detector shafts.
First of all, I would say that there are many "traits" that one might have on their list, in terms of what they would like to hopefully achieve by switching to an aftermarket carbon-fiber shaft. And I will try to give a comprehensive answer to your question, from the perspective of these traits.
One of these "traits," of course, provided by carbon-fiber, is a very high strength-to-weight ratio. In other words, carbon fiber is a very strong material, and it achieves this despite very light weight. It would seem, from your post, that your MAIN focus when buying a carbon-fiber replacement shaft was on WEIGHT SAVINGS. You are correct, that the savings achieved is "ounces," but there's just no way around that. When your entire stock shaft weighs only 8 to 12 ounces to begin with, then even a very sizeable reduction, percentage-wise (say, a 30% to 50% weight reduction) still only amounts to a handful of ounces. Now, for many folks, that reduction in "ounces" is noticeable, and helpful. But for some, this weight savings alone -- as you are implying above -- may not be enough justification for you personally to spend the amount of money that a carbon-fiber upgrade requires.
BUT -- in addition to weight savings, there are a number of other advantages that a well-made carbon-fiber shaft will offer over your average, stock shaft, and I'll describe those a bit later. BUT FIRST -- it is important to note, here, that NOT ALL STOCK SHAFTS ARE MADE EQUAL, and therefore, not all stock shafts can be "improved upon" as much as some others can, in terms of an aftermarket replacement shaft. I'd like to discuss this point for a moment, as it can be crucial in one's decision as to whether to invest in a replacement shaft, or not.
Consider a Tarsacci MDT 8000, for instance. This machine has one of the nicest -- if not THE nicest -- "stock" shafts I've ever seen. It's VERY high-quality, VERY "tight," it's made of stout, lightweight carbon fiber, the cam locks are excellent; overall, it's an outstanding shaft. While I do offer an aftermarket shaft for the MDT 8000, the improvements I offer are specific, and tailored to specific users (and which for the sake of brevity I won't describe in detail, in this post). Anyway, some folks would benefit from these improvements, while others would not benefit nearly as much. So, again, it depends on what you want from any replacement shaft, as to whether or not it would be "worth it." This is an important point to keep in mind, as we move along.
Now, at the other end of the spectrum from the very nice, high-quality Tarsacci MDT 8000 shaft -- where there are relatively fewer improvements that can be made -- would be an average, basic shaft that is included on many detector models. For this type of shaft, there are MANY MORE shaft traits that can be improved upon, which can make a SIGNIFICANT difference for the user (again, depending upon exactly what the user would like to accomplish).
Looking at your average, basic aluminum shaft (or shaft that is a combination of a plastic or composite lower rod, plus aluminum upper section(s), here is a list of traits that a well-made, well-designed carbon-fiber shaft can improve upon...
1. Weight -- as we've discussed already, stock shafts are often heavier than is necessary, adding discomfort to long detecting hunts/outings
2. Ergonomics -- many machines, equipped with a stock shaft, are simply uncomfortable to swing; along with weight being one factor contributing to this discomfort, often more important is a lack of balance that exists, especially with many of the newer units, along with a few other ergonomic issues that sometimes exist --including too short of a distance between handle and arm cuff, an arm cuff that does not "fit" some users, etc.
3. "Tightness" or "stability" -- many aluminum shafts are not "tight," in that they are prone to a degree of "looseness" or "wobble," especially as they age
4. Flex -- some plastic or composite shafts are not only "loose," but will also "flex" or "bend" a bit, especially when swinging heavier coils
5. Corrosion-prone -- some aluminum shafts can tend to corrode over time, particularly when used in salt water
6. The cam locks -- partly contributing to the "lack of stability" or "lack of tightness" or "wobble" issue mentioned above, most cam locks used on lower-quality shafts (the "twist-lock" variety) do NOT lock the shaft sections securely enough to prevent wobble, and also are prone to "locking up" due to sand/salt intrusion into the threaded portions of the lock causing them to "freeze" or "seize up."
7. The spring button and button holes -- again related to the lack of a quality cam lock, use of this secondary or supplemental shaft attachment system becomes necessary as a twist-lock cannot lock shaft sections securely by itself; however, the button/button-hole design make shaft adjustment -- and assembly/disassembly -- unnecessarily tedious and more time-consuming.
8. Appearance -- most shafts are relatively dull/basic in appearance
and last but certainly not least...
9. Customization -- most stock shafts cannot be "customized," of course, but are basically a "cookie-cutter" design that, aside from lower rod length adjustability, cannot be altered or adapted easily to a user's specific needs.
So, these are several "deficiencies" often found in stock shaft setups; the lowest-quality, or "worst" shafts, will often include most, if not all, of these "deficiencies."
Looking back at that list, as a shaft producer I aim to "correct" each one of those deficiencies, to whatever degree they exist on the particular shaft I am looking to replace.
So, here is a repeat of that same list, and how I look to "correct" each of those deficiencies...
1. Weight -- as noted earlier, carbon-fiber is a very strong but very lightweight material; 30% to 40% weight reductions are often achievable with my carbon-fiber shafts, versus the stock shafts
2. Ergonomics -- along with the aforementioned weight reduction, I offer the option of counterweighting with some of my shafts -- which brings "balance" to the machine, and therefore a substantial improvement in swing comfort
3. "Tightness" or "stability" -- through use of a proper, heavy-duty cam lock, my shafts entirely eliminate any "looseness" or "wobble," resulting in a very tight, high-quality feel
4. Flex -- given the "stiffness" of carbon-fiber, flex is essentially eliminated with my replacement shafts
5. Corrosion-prone -- carbon-fiber does not "corrode," and so is a better option for salt-water environments; additionally, all cam-lock hardware (screws, etc.) are of high-quality, marine-grade 316 stainless steel, to minimize corrosive issues when properly cared for
6. The cam locks -- the FOUNDATION of any multi-section shaft is the cam lock, and as such my cam lock design is top notch; in addition to being made of high-strength injection-molded, glass-filled nylon, my cam locks feature fully adjustable clamping tension -- meaning that you are in complete control of how tightly the cam lock clamps and holds your shaft sections together; given this heavy-duty, rock-solid clamping tension that can be achieved, this allows for ELIMINATION of the need for the supplemental spring button/button hole design that is common on many shafts (which will be discussed further, below)
7. The spring button and button holes -- as mentioned above, the secondary attachment security provided by the spring button/button hole design is rendered unnecessary by the high-quality cam locks found on my shaft; as a result, shaft assembly/disassembly is made much simpler and quicker -- including in-the-field swaps of lower rod/coils, as many hunters like to do; in addition, lower-rod adjustment lengths are not limited to specific button-hole locations, but instead, adjustment of your lower rod to ANY desired length is now as fast and easy as the flip open, and then closed, of the cam lock's locking lever
8. Appearance -- in addition to the aesthetic appeal of carbon fiber, my shafts are also offered in a variety of colored carbon-fiber options, a look that many prefer over the standard, stock shafts
and last but certainly not least...
9. Customization -- while stock shaft setups work for some, many folks have specific wishes for their shaft; some tall users benefit from a longer-than-standard shaft, while conversely shorter detectorists can benefit from a shorter-than-stock-length shaft, and the additional weight savings thereby achieved; some folks prefer a different number of shaft sections than the stock shafts afford; still others want a "thinner" shaft for reduced friction when used in the water; some want particular aesthetic changes such as color; basically, there are a number of different attributes which some folks prefer in their shafts, and I am always willing and available to discuss any customization of a shaft that you may need
I know this has been a very long-winded post, and it reads a bit like a sales pitch. However, the overarching purpose was to provide an answer to the question about what other advantages exist, beyond weight reduction, that might make a carbon-fiber shaft "worth it" to have. Ultimately, only the user can decide whether the upgrade to carbon fiber is "worth it;" if you have no real complaints about your stock shaft, or if perhaps only one of the traits mentioned above is a concern to you, then perhaps the cost of upgrade is not "worth it." On the other hand, for many folks, a high-quality, well-designed, customized shaft is very much worth the investment. Hopefully, some of what is written here can help you make the decision as to whether to keep the shaft, or pass on it.
Thanks!
Steve
